April 29, 2007

Free Song of the Week

This week's free song is a b-side from the upcoming album "Hospital Music" by Matthew Good. "Can't Get Shot In The Back If You Don't Run" was made a few years ago but never professionally recorded until the Hospital Music sessions early this year. For more info on Matt and his new album visit www.matthewgood.org and www.nearfantastica.com

Enjoy!

(you can find the link to the free song on the sidebar)

April 26, 2007

Comics This Week

Reviews for comics released on April 25th, 2007...


Crossing Midnight #6 (Vertigo)
Written by Mike Carey, Art by Jim Fern

Crossing Midnight seemed to get off to a great start with a spectacular vision. Recently, however, I have realized that I was mesmerized by the fantastical world and concept. Now that I can see clearer, I notice a couple big flaws. The characters are not as interesting as main characters should. They are overshadowed by the scope of the other ideas introduced in the book. Also, the art is terrible. I can barely stand it at this point. It is the simplest artwork I have ever seen in such a serious comic. The backgrounds usually go anime on us by having it one single colour with no detail at all. Despite these flaws, Crossing Midnight is one of the more interesting series on the shelves. But unless some improvements are made, the shelf is where it will stay.



Coming next week: Buffy The Vampire Slayer #3, The Dark Tower: Gunslinger Born #4, The Loners #2, Runaways #26

April 24, 2007

Round 2

NHL Playoffs Round 2

Predictions...
East
Buffalo Vs. NYR, B in 6
NJ Vs. Ottawa, NJ in 5

West
Detroit Vs. San Jose, SJ in 6
Anaheim Vs. Vancouver, VAN in 6

What are your predictions?

April 19, 2007

Comics This Week

Reviews for comics released on April 18th 2007

DMZ #18 (Vertigo)
Written by Brian Wood, Art by Riccardo Burchielli and Nathan Fox

This week's DMZ is a departure from the usual story and art. Most of the issue is a story told from the eyes of a soldier involved in a tragedy. The pages that depict his story are done by a guest artist (Nathan Fox). Having different art for the soldier's war story is a terrific idea that pays off, giving the segment a storytelling feel. The story is as great as usual and emotionally effective. Unlike any other series I read (besides Fell), it seems any point is a good jumping on point for this series. If you are too lazy to get the 2 trades already out, it's ok to just get right into it. DMZ remains one of the more compelling books out there and it keeps getting better. This issue keeps that trend going.

Next Week: Crossing Midnight #6

Lost and Found

When i borrowed Lost Season One on DVD from a friend, I was hooked. It was the first show to grab me so completely that wasn't made by Joss Whedon. I fell in love with the characters, the style and the story. However, unlike Buffy or Angel, it did not get better the next season. It got worse. It was still a good show, but had the quality of the first season been the same as the second I would never have been interested. But I kept watching, enjoying the show, but not nearly as much. With each week came a new chance for a comeback, but it never happened. The story was good and the twists were excellent but those little character moments were gone. Think when Locke realized he could stand in Season 1 or when Jin had the flower for Sun in the airport. The heart of the show was gone. Season 3 started off ok but still no better. The Mr. Eko episode was incredible and in my opinion one of the 10 best episodes ever. Then the show settled in with being average again. Almost all my hope was gone, I considered stopping watching Lost altogether. I decided I would finish the season then quit if it didn't get better. But it did. I believe starting with the Hurley episode, when they found the car it got back to the small moments. The heart, what the show needs to survive, was beating again. And every week since, each episode has been outstanding. Perhaps even equal to the quality of season one. It took a long time but the show is back in all it's glory. We will have to wait and see if the show can maintain this. But until then, it's a time to take a deep breath, and realize this show is once again the best on televsion...So here's to "Lost", now found .

April 18, 2007

ERROR ERROR

I'm having issues with the "stars" animation used in my reviews...Have no idea why. So some of the past posts have stars replaced with text. I will probably use text until i find a solution or alternative.


***update*** seems to be working, at least for now

New Album Review: Cassadaga

Cassadaga by Bright Eyes

Now this review is interesting (only for me?) because instead of reviewing an artist I'm familiar with, I am reviewing an album by an artist I have never heard before. So take my rating seriously because there is no biasnesssss (?). I like to think I wouldn't be biased reviewing an album by Modest Mouse or Matt Good (2 favourite artists) but for this one I can guarantee it. Ok, on with the show (article?). The album's title is the name of a community of psychics in Florida (cool?). The first track opens with audio clips of people talking about Cassadaga which would be dull if not for the outstanding instrumental accompanying it. The weird clips give in to Conor Oberst's voice and also into the masterpiece that Cassadaga is to become. If you listen to each song individually, each is excellent. But together, as an album, Cassadaga is greater than the sum of it's parts. This is a sign of a special album. Not many releases in recent years are wonderful journeys that could only be travelled (and deserving to be travelled over and over) in sequence to reach it's potential (Kid A by Radiohead, Yankee Hotel Foxtrot by Wilco to name some of the few). Each song has a sort of post-folk type feel with thoughtful, poetic lyrics. Oberst's voice gives his words the value they deserve. Conveying them in the only way they could if to be as impactful. A lot of the album is soft and beautiful, but, it's at it's best when the pace picks up. Such as: "Four Winds", "If The Brakeman Turns My Way"or "Soul Singer in A Session Band". Usually I need a long time with an album to be able to warm up to it completely. However, after my first listen I was blown away. I have spent the whole day listening to it again and again to find a flaw or a reason to complain. But I didn't. This is the best album of the year so far, and an instant all-time favourite of mine. I'll be putting up a free track from it next week, give it a listen, if you like it, buy the album. It's perfect.

April 15, 2007

Blades of Glory

Blades of Glory has been out for a few weeks and you have probably read tons of reviews and/or seen it already. So, I'll keep this brief. For every two jokes that succeed in this movie there is one that gets no laughs at all. The key to a great comedy is to have a bunch of great jokes in a row because it gets the viewer to a point where they just keep laughing even if the next joke is sub-par. Hence, it hurts the flow of Blades and Glory when in between every couple big laughs there is silence. The usual Will Ferrell brilliance is here but not often enough and Jon Heder stands his ground (which surprised me). Overall, it's a good comedy but it is definitely one you can wait for until it arrives on dvd.



April 12, 2007

Comics This Week

Reviews for comics released April 11th 2007...

Fell #8 (Image)
Written by Warren Ellis, Art by Ben Templesmith

This issue Warren Ellis changes his storytelling style to sort of a "day in the life..." type. It follows our hero, Richard Fell, armed with a digital camera. Most of the book's art are "pictures" he takes during a regular shift in Snowtown. For those unaware of this comic, Richard Fell was a regular police detective but took a job in Snowtown, a place with no hope and lots of psychos. In this issue he encounters said psychos and the very psychotic things they do. It's a nice change of pace and a great conclusion for the trade paperback which will be released shortly (GO BUY IT). The last page is a great place to finish the first volume and is one of my favourite comic pages ever. Ben Templesmith's art continues to be the best out there. I find everytime a pickup an issue of Fell (which is rare because it comes out randomly every few months) I frequently stop to admire certain panels for their sheer beauty (no matter how brutal the subject of the panel may be as Fell has some pretty gruesome stuff). Not many comics do that to me. I guess Fell is something special.




The Loners #1 (Marvel)
Written by C.B. Cebulski, Art by Karl Moline

The Loners is a spinoff of Runaways (the only reason I bought it) featuring super heroes who are trying to put their past behind and be normal people, but can't seem to do it. The premise is interesting and the potential for a great mini-series is certainly there but it doesn't reach it here. First off I don't like the art and it pissed me off the whole time. The fight scene panels were boring and, once again, pissed me off. Also, the characters aren't grabbing me, but it is only issue #1 (of six). Despite it's flaws, The Loners #1 is alright, I like the concept and the story, and if I get attached to the characters, then the series could be more than alright. Overall, just ok, but I'm hoping for more than ok next month, lets hope it delivers.



Fables #60 (Vertigo)
Written by Bill Willingham, Art by Mark Buckingham

This Fables issue is the beginning of a new arc in the greatest comic going. "The Good Prince" is to be an 8 issue storyline about the character Flycatcher. The first of eight isn't the best Fables can offer but It's a great lead-in for what should be a great run (equal to that of "March of the Wooden Soldiers" and "Homelands"). It has it's moments but really this is just an introduction. However, it has a great ending which will get regular readers pretty damn excited. And even if this issue wasn't that great it got me pretty damn excited.




Next week: DMZ #18 and Ex Machina #27

April 10, 2007

2007 NHL Playoffs

Here are my picks for Round 1...

East
BUF Vs. NYI, BUF in 5
NJ Vs. TB, NJ in 5
ATL Vs. NYR, NYR in 7
OTT Vs. PIT, PIT in 7

West
DET Vs. CAL, DET in 6
ANA Vs. MIN, ANA in 7
VAN Vs. DAL, VAN in 6
NAS Vs. SJ, SJ in 7

April 09, 2007

Comics This Week

Reviews for comics released April 4th 2007...

Buffy The Vampire Slayer Season Eight #2 (Dark Horse)
Written by Joss Whedon, Art by Georges Jeanty
The announcement that a "Season 8" of Buffy was coming and being written by Joss Whedon as well as other comic greats and writers from the TV show caused great excitement. However, after reading issue #1, it was evident it would be a very different experience (obviously) than watching the show. I had convinced myself previous to it's release that it was pretty much like the show was back. But it's not. This is a comic book, and will not be great for some of the reasons the show was. However, it's great in a different way, as far as comics go, this is top of the line. For fans familiar with the show, it will take adjustment, but it is most defnitely worth it. The great dialogue is back and, if you watched the show as much as me, the actor's voices still read it (maybe I'm just crazy). Ultimately, Buffy Season 8 is shaping up to be my favourite ongoing series, and issue #2 is proof that it deserves to be.


The Dark Tower: Gunslinger Born #3 (Marvel)
Written by Peter David, Robin Furth and Stephen King, Art by Jae Lee and Richard Isanove

This is the third Dark Tower issue and it gets better each time. This book is only overseen by Stephen King, yet it has the same feel as his novels (of which I am a fan). The narration is outstanding, written in the style of language the story's characters speak. The story itself is actually from the 4th novel in King's 7 book series. For someone new to the world, I think it is a great entry point. For a Dark Tower veteran, it is incredible how a retelling of a story can be so great and exciting. This is helped by the perfect, unique art that is exactly the style the Dark Tower needs. What's also impressive is how a huge novel is being compressed into a seven issue miniseries without hurting the story.


Runaways #25 (Marvel)
Written by Joss Whedon, Art by Michael Ryan

Brian K. Vaughan's series is now in Joss Whedon's hands (is there anyone else better?). A worthy writer to take over one of the best series today......right? I doubt anyone could have made an issue of Runaways equal to the standards of Vaughan's last few on the comic, so this issue does not surprise me. Whedon does a great job writing some characters (Chase) but some just don't have the same quality and voice Vaughan gave them (Molly). What does surprise me is the strange storyline which seems unatural. It's an odd choice for the Runaways, but it is interesting. Not a great issue, but it's only Whedon's first (of six) and I have a feeling it will get much better.

Jack of Fables #9 (Vertigo)
Written by Bill Willingham and Matthew Sturges, Art by Tony Akins and Andrew Pepoy

The spinoff of Fables got off to a great start with the first arc, a good combo of jokes and adventure. But now the adventure is lame and the jokes are the same ones again and again. The current storyline is uninteresting, as are the side characters. I have a little bit of hope left that it will pick up again. However I think it's a slim chance that it will because it is the premise that is lacking. Until it gets better (or worse), the only purpose Jack of Fables serves is to make the wait until the next Fables slightly easier (and only very slightly).

Next Week: The Loners #1 and Fables #60

April 08, 2007

Grindhouse

I went into the the theatre on friday to see Grindhouse with high expectations. Quentin Tarantino is one of my favourite directors and responsible for some great films (Reservoir Dogs, Pulp Fiction, Jackie Brown, Kill Bill). Robert Rodriguez, his good friend, is as well (Desperado, Sin City). Grindhouse is composed of 2 movies, Planet Terror (directed by Rodriguez) and Death Proof (Tarantino). The two movies are extremely different but work well together. I don't think two straight actiony movies would have been bearable, so Quentin's dialogue driven half is a relief. I can't choose a favourite, both have their pros and cons. Planet Terror has most of the laughs and the action and the gore (and the better use of a "missing reel" gag). Whereas Death Proofs' characters are far more interesting and the ending is far superior. So in the end I realize on their own these movies actually aren't better or worse, but incomplete. It's one overall great piece, Grindhouse. A movie that might not have any of the qualities you usually look for in a great film, but somehow is still great. Maybe not as outstanding as each director's previous work, but it's probably the most fun you will have in the theatre this year.


out of five



April 04, 2007

Welcome

Hey, I'm Adam, this is my below average (or soon to be) blog which will contain mediocre posts with little to no insight into anything. I like comic books!!

I plan to post reviews of movies, dvds, albums, and comics and whatever else I feel needs to be judged. And judge I shall!

Perhaps non-reviewy posts will appear as well....Who knows? Anything can happen.

Well, I must go now, I will make another post when I feel motivated enough to do so.

Farewell gentle readers.

-Adam